There is Nothing Sweeter...

...than hearing your two year daughter laugh and chatter and happily cherish playtime with her daddy. Just outside the closed office door, I hear him join her in pushing dolls in strollers and walking pretend dogs on their leashes and taking amazing and imaginative horse rides; I hear their stories, the places they're visiting, the squeals of glee.

I walk out into the hallway with a broad smile and find super daddy cradling his girl while they rest together, wrapped in warmth within our Christmas-tree-lit living room.

Insert sigh of contentment: here. 

Advent, when the stars held their breath...

"Was there a moment, known only to God, when all the stars held their breath,
when the galaxies paused in their dance for a fraction of a second,
and the Word, who had called it all into being,
went with all his love into the womb of a young girl,
and the universe started to breathe again,
and the ancient harmonies resumed their song,
and the angels clapped their hands for joy?"

- Madeline L’Engle

Giving Thanks

We were lucky this year to get to celebrate Thanksgiving with several groups of people - we had a bunch of friends over in Chicago, we saw Alicia and Dave in town for a quick and delicious meal, and then spent time in MN with family, where we also saw my Grandma Marly and caught up with some friends in town at the Danielson's house. Jed also came down for a couple days for family time (appropriately), and we explored a new (to us at least) local hangout that had a fab live band (which reminds me that I need to track down their name...)   

We had a great weekend with Mosbo family and friends over the holiday - here are a few pics from our trip:

This shot was taken during a break in the middle of the jumping/dancing festivities with Bo and Megs!

 Beautiful table!

 The guys...

 ... and the girls! (Minus the little girl who was sleeping.)

Fun with Grammy.

This trip was the first time that Eva seemed to get how time leading up to a drive and time leading up to leaving worked; she would ask how soon we would be there, or how soon til she had to leave. She also talked about going to "Miny - sohta" a lot beforehand - she somehow even has the MN accent down!

Happy start to the holiday season - there is so much to feel grateful for!

(This is a gratitude tree that Eva and I made together; each branch has something written on it to be grateful for.)

Joy in a Box!

Eva got a fun package in the mail this week from Godmomma Linnea in Colorado. It contained several fun treasures, but the first gift that captured Eva's attention was...

... a set of fairy wings! What a smile on this 2 year old's face. :) Next, she discovered the rest of the ensemble wrapped up in the box....

...a fairy dress with ribbons/belt, and a fairy wand!

Fairy play ensued for quite a while - including dancing, flying, singing songs, and teaching us parents how fairies run. :) Thanks Lin, for the box of joy you sent our way!